Player Profile: Eoin Morgan

England can count themselves lucky that their man-of-the-moment is playing for the three lions – Morgan, an Irish-born Englishman, played 23 times for Ireland in ODI’s, scoring one century and five 50’s but the lure of Test cricket proved too hard to resist.

A compact left-hander with a reputation for audacious strokeplay, Morgan grew up playing Hurling and, with his vast range of shots, it’s clear his Irish roots have never deserted him.

He first drew attention with Ireland where he almost made a century on debut, scoring 99 before he was run out – the first time in ODI history a player had been dismissed for 99 on debut.

And he then went on to average 52.20 in the World Cricket League, which included his first ODI hundred, a magnificent 115 from 106 balls against Canada in Nairobi.

Morgan’s career took a downward turn at the 2007 World Cup. While his team-mates excelled, Morgan struggled to find any form and scratched around for 91 runs in nine matches.

But he helped Middlesex win the Twenty20 Cup in 2008 to catch the eye of the England selectors and having completed his qualification period, he was selected in England’s squad for the ICC World Twenty20 in 2009.

Since making the switch Morgan has been a rock in England’s lower middle order. Not every player can mix sheer brawn with nous but the 23-year-old may be the prime candidate for a role England have struggled to fill for a decade – the finisher.

In January 2010 he was the only England player to be awarded a new contract at the auction for the third season of the IPL, signing for the Royal Challengers where he will join team-mate Kevin Pietersen.

Shortly afterwards, an imperious unbeaten 110 gave England an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three match ODI series with Bangladesh as he became the first player to score an ODI century for two different countries.

Ireland should beware when the two teams meet in Group D of this year’s ICC World Twenty20 competition.

March 17, 2010